The back door opened and out stepped Victoria. “I would have thought all the noise caused by the approaching storm would have driven you two inside,” she stated and then shook her head while mumbling, “Men,” under her breath. “Brother, you might be interested to know Cara has entered the world and I would not be surprised if Careena arrives before we reach the birthing room.”
Jubal ran past her and into the house, eager to meet his new baby girls.
-----
Ten days later Jubal arrived home after recording several new Aakas. He had chosen not to bring up the extended sentences or mention anything about the divine imperative. His meeting with Roddy had been amicable and yet Jubal knew the discussions would not remain so if his friend found out how much was being kept from him.
Mel stood just inside the door. His appearance never changed, nor did the fact that no one ever hindered him from going anywhere he wished to go. Cassi and Anak, who had accompanied Jubal, seemed to be just as surprised to see the priest, but Andromeda, who had been guarding the door, was politely chatting with the seemingly ageless man.
The priest’s blue eyes immediately shifted from the female Weapocarn to the Instructor of Aakacarns and grew cold. “Even though I warned you years ago not to be so caught up in teaching the Nephilim that you neglect your other responsibility, you allowed three years to go by. You did this knowing if the imperative is ignored, within a year another symbol will fall, causing confusion the likes of which you have never heard, and your tasks from then on will become even more difficult to accomplish, yet it is only recently you have awakened to your responsibility. It was not until a crisis arose compelling you to act that you even confronted Nimrod with the need to begin sending people out to settle the world. You were so neglectful it took years for you to become aware of the crisis. If Hadassah had not spoken to you, I would have revealed it to you today along with this reproof.”
Jubal had not expected a scolding, but perhaps should have, and yet also felt defensive. “I spoke with him a year ago about founding new cities. He initially liked the idea of being king of many places rather than one, but Semiramis has convinced him it would be impossible for him to rule in fact from a distance. Her argument played into his nightmares.”
Mel nodded acknowledgement, but then shook his head as if the response was less than he expected. “You have mastered your potential, created many wondrous producers, can soar higher than an eagle, and even made crescendos to amplify the energy expended, yet you only found two occasions on which to make your case and avert a major upheaval. Each time you confronted your friend it took only a few remarks from him to shut you down.”
Jubal hung his head, ashamed, knowing the man spoke truly. “I am sorry for the lapse. I did get caught up in teaching and making a great many innovations. But, as you said, the crisis you spoke of made me realize it was time for me to act even without Roddy’s consent. I have formed a team and plans are underway. The divine imperative will be carried out.”
Those blue eyes warmed by several degrees. “I know the sincerity of your words and have no doubt you will henceforth make every effort to fulfill your responsibility. The reproof was for your admonition, not to discourage you. Keep building your team and do what you can, but know time is short. Where you once had years, you now have months, and not even I am sure if the disaster can be averted. But the only way the calamity can be avoided is for your current plans to succeed. I do approve of the route you have chosen and encourage you to proceed with all haste.”
The scolding, though deserved, at the end gave Jubal hope. He was indeed sorry for his failure, but did feel better knowing the priest approved of the plan to send families out. It sounded as if Mel even approved of the intention to free people like Betsenadab. “I will be testing a new Aakatool this afternoon and will press my team to act this very night. Is that soon enough?”
“Perhaps yes, perhaps no, but at least it is a start,” Mel replied and then walked out the door.
Too bad the soothsayers and astrologers gathered by Semiramis were not so clear and concise with their messages or so willing to admit when they did not have all of the answers.
Jubal tried to ignore the fact that Andromeda was staring at him. She opened her mouth before he managed to take three steps. “The priest assigned you a major task and I am only now hearing of it? You apparently selected a team. I need to be a part of this.”
Her last sentence sounded like a demand, but Jubal ignored the tone, having recognized her sincerity. “Go find Orion and talk it over between yourselves. If you still wish to be have a part in what you overheard, be at my workroom right after dark.”
The Weapocarn nodded and went off to find her husband.
“You two can go eat something. I have a project in my workroom that will take up my time for hours to come,” Jubal told the couple.
Keeping the secret from Cassiopeia the Seer was impossible. She had known the moment harmonic waves from his blast of air at the forest disturbed her and Anak while they were attempting to do their part to increase the population. Jubal had been confronted first thing the next morning and was forced to confess having flown, but voluntarily brought the couple into the conspiracy.
“I have never yet turned down the opportunity to have a meal,” Anak replied and headed for the dining-room with Cassi right behind him.
Jubal thought about the past ten days while heading to his workroom. It had taken Thanatos seven days to master the healing Melodies and a day after that to be accepted as the official healer of the compound inmates. In the same period Jubal spent as much time as he could with the twins, but since women considered men to be near useless at taking care of newborns, his opportunities to be with his littlest daughters had been limited. After all, he was merely their father, one would think that counted for something, but in matters related to childcare the women ruled, and when they were Nephilim, their opinions were considered important in many other matter as well.
The respect might have something to do with the average woman being less than five feet high and the average man about six. The average female Nephilim stood eight and a half feet tall and could break every bone in a body, should she desire to do so. Even though the average Nephilim male stood at nine feet and possessed the ability to easily snap bones, they respected the power of their mates. Unfortunately the same could not be said for the Tinies, some of them bullied their spouses, which not even an Anakim would do.
The Aaka, Potential, proved the girls to be Nephilim, like their parents, but the two babies resembled one far more than the other. They had Jubal’s dark eyes and the rest of their features were derived from Vashti, yet with a few variations. Their skin was the color of butter whisked in cream, a few shades darker than her alabaster, but nowhere near matching his coppery complexion. What hair they had been born with was white like hers and wavy like his. No doubt about it they were beautiful and he was certain he would think so even if his opinion had not been almost totally biased.
He spent more time with Laara, when she was not playing with her sisters, but most of his day involved teaching his students to master Melodies and after that in the creation of animal-shaped amulets. The standard and most popular forms were lions, wolves, elks, horses, elephants, and crocodiles. The lions, elks, and elephants had been Roddy’s idea.
The custom versions had varying features such as color, size, and a body part not normally associated with the animal. Unicorns were in demand and while he appreciated the symmetry of a horse with a single horn protruding like a spear from its head, Pan asking for an equine with a full rack of antlers seemed a bit much, but he had been willing to pay for the extravagance.
It was not unusual to see twelve foot high horses, lions, and, wolves, causally walking the streets of Semidon. The images appeared exactly like the real things, but the sheer size of the projected forms gave away the fact that inside the huge beasties were Nephilim wearing amulets. The elephant forms were not so easy to distinguish from the
real things, but catching sight of actual elephants so far from their southern range was so remote everyone recognized the artificial construct.
Loki bought every form available and quite a few custom amulets as well, unfortunately the man enjoyed pranking people, and one of his favorite tricks was to assume the form of a crocodile and approach a swimmer in the river. Since a real croc could grow to the size of the standard projection and even surpass it, distinguishing him from the real thing was impossible. The man had a sick sense of humor, but the king liked him, and so the prankster rarely was called to account for his deeds.
Jubal was more than pleased over having made Metamorphosis one of the most used Aakas, it played into his notion of making the sight of such creatures so common they did not rouse suspicion. He could assume a standard form and go outside during the day without anyone realizing the Instructor of Aakacarns had left the building. He had several other forms he could assume that insured he could walk among the general population and not be recognized, although no matter what outward form he chose, hiding his size proved impossible. He could never be smaller than his actual proportions.
Learning to swim in some of his other constructs had been a challenge, but well worth the effort. Three hours, beginning in the middle of each night, had been dedicated to flying, which improved his ability far beyond his first attempt. He found the freedom of flight to be more intoxicating than Noah’s wine and always had to struggle to make himself return to the ground at the set time.
Vashti was one of the few who knew of his ability to fly, but would not hear of learning herself until after the twins were a little older. Cassi intended to be involved with what was essentially a fulfillment of her viewing. There had been a point in her vision where Roddy had been a part of the migration, but Jubal saw no sign of his friend softening on the issue, although there was hope.
He set aside thoughts of the recent past in favor of the present while entering the room and placing his red and black silk cloak on a peg, and then sat down at his worktable. He held up his newest amulet, a wooly–bearded Weapocarn with light skin, thick lips, and a broad nose. He added another hidden layer to the newly created persona and had confidence no one would figure out that inside the construct was the Instructor of Aakacarns.
“Here goes,” he said and slipped the gold chain around his neck with the amulet against his collarbone.
He willed a trickle of power into the producer and suddenly his red and black blouse and pants were hidden within the mottled green and brown woolens of a Weapocarn. He held up a reflector and did not recognize the face staring back. Anyone looking at him would see an Anakim nearly as tall and wide as Ra.
Jubal put on a thick black belt with a pair of long steel knives sheathed at each hip. He used the Aaka, Forge, to create the weapons, each one slightly longer than the distance from his elbow to the tip of his longest finger.
He stood up and walked out of his workroom, down the stairs, and was about to exit when a voice called to him, “I don’t remember seeing you here before.”
He turned around to see Genermonies, one of the resident Weapocarns, the man who should have been guarding the workroom door. In his hand was a partially eaten chicken leg. “Are you a new recruit?”
Jubal stood where he was, allowing the man to come to him, and then responded in a husky voice, “So new I have not yet dirtied my boots, but I can be trusted to deliver messages.”
Genermonies, an Anakim descended from Lilith, who stood six and a third cubits in height, was shorter and less massive than the man he faced, yet the white-bearded hunter showed no signs of being bothered by the fact. He was a veteran who served under Orion and had spent many years protecting humanity from deadly predators. It took a great deal to bother the man, far more than a recruit who happened to be larger than him. “Since the Nephilim have all left the service, I am glad to see you and others of our kind stepping up to fill the vacancies,” he responded with a compliment and then went on to say, “I dirtied my boots in the wilderness many times. Only the best of the best are allowed to protect government officials and only the royal palace is more carefully watched than is this house. Pay your dues in the woods, face ferocious creatures, and thus prove your metal. Then and only then will your boots stay clean with an assignment like this. However, I perceive you are being modest, which becomes a recruit, and yet I know those boots must have been soiled a little for you to earn that uniform. What is your name?”
Jubal stood straighter with his shoulders back. “My boots have been dirtied a bit,” he admitted. “I am Elusion and you are?”
“I am the man who will see you outside after I hear the message that needs to be delivered,” the guard replied.
The man wanted a message, well he would get one. “The Instructor of Aakacarns is testing a new Aakatool and wants a man by the name of Genermonies to know the device would make following problematic. It would be best not to try,” Jubal replied, huskily. “Oh, and the Instructor should be back within a couple turns of a sand glass. Will you please relay the message?”
The guard’s eye widened, his brows lifting slightly, and moments later his face blanked under rigid control. “I will deliver the message. Tell me, did he go out with a pair of Weapocarns as escorts?”
The man clearly had no intention of admitting his identity and Jubal made sure no smile crept onto his face, “Not a pair, but from what I saw, he has a Weapocarn that I think will remain with him the entire time.”
Genermonies nodded acknowledgement. “That is good to know. No one has dared to attack him in years but that does not mean no one will in the future.”
“Don’t worry, if he forgets I will remind him,” Jubal stated.
The guard looked at him and smiled. “I like your spirit, but if you can find the Instructor when he is trying not to be found, we hunters have added a truly gifted tracker to our ranks.”
“We’ll see,” Jubal replied, and then slipped out the door, and on down the street.
People passed him right and left without saying a word, not even when he greeted them with, “Good day.”
He ventured three streets out and then, “Out of the way!” A giant palomino shouted while bumping into who he clearly perceived to be an Anakim.
It was a display of rudeness one would never dare show the Instructor of Aakacarns.
Jubal was shoved slightly to the right and tripped against a Tiny. The man in a fine blue wool robe stumbled back and would have fallen if Jubal had not reached out and steadied him upright.
“Forgive me Weapocarn, I should have been more careful,” the dark-haired man apologized.
Jubal waved the notion away. “It was entirely my fault.”
The Tiny stared at the fake horse as it walked away unconcerned, and waited until there was no possibility of being overheard to say, “We both know whose fault it was, but thank you for the thought.”
Jubal chose not to comment on the arrogance of the Nephilim or the possibility of being arrested for speaking ill of them and yet felt he should make some response. “I am Elusion, who might you be?”
The little fellow rubbed the stubble on his chin, smiled, and then replied. “Your parents must have avoidance issues to stick you with a name like that. Mine were just as whimsical. I am Hubris.”
Jubal would never describe his ancient parents as being whimsical, but the name he picked out of the air proved he certainly was. “Is there any dodging when arrogant-pride and avoidance walk the street together?”
Hubris laughed. “My arrogant pride would have fallen if you had avoided extending me your hand. Where are you headed my big friend?”
Jubal had no reason to lie. “I am going to see a healer.”
The Tiny’s eyebrows popped up. “Are you ill?”
Rather than fudge the truth, Jubal simply replied, “There is a new healer at the convicts’ compound. It is him I wish to see.”
Green eyes widen at hearing the words. “You are going to see Thanatos? That makes you
one brave weapon-wielder. Then again, his services there are free of charge and people other than inmates are going to him for healing. I suppose if a person feels bad enough he will even go to the collector of the dead for help.”
“And if the healing doesn’t take, he is with the person who can take care of that,” Jubal added light-heartedly.
Hubris nodded. “I suppose so. Thanatos is unnerving but he is one of the Nephilim who is willing to help people whether or not they can pay for his services. Not all of the Aakacarns are like the horse’s-back-end that nocked you into me.”
Jubal extended his hand. “I will keep that in mind. It was good meeting you.”
The Tiny smiled. “Likewise, perhaps we will stumble into each other again soon.”
They shook hands and then Jubal made his way up the street to the right and then down the next street to left until reaching the outskirts of the city. He did not stop until arriving at a rectangular structure forty cubits high and hundreds of cubits in length and breadth. Another floor was under construction to house more inmates.
The ever-growing facility was in the center of a large courtyard surrounded by a wall that was only fifteen cubits high. Hundreds of Tinies in gray uniforms, patterned after the woolens of a Weapocarn, guarded the compound. The brick facility would not be easy to pilfer convicts from day or night.
All of the males were clean shaven, a style unique to the men who served as guards. Some of them were Anakim and the two groups clearly did not mix, even when they were standing side by side. Nephilim felt superior to Anakim and they in turn felt superior to Tinies. The attitudes had not change much even considering the better overall lifestyle in Semidon. The guards were a microcosm of the whole, but Jubal had not come to change attitudes. Those were issues for others to deal with while he focused on his own goals, which were challenging enough to last several lifetimes.
A female giant at gate number two of four looked up at who from her point of view was a Weapocarn. “What is your purpose here?”
Dawn Of The Aakacarns Page 39